Photographer, Designer, Editor and Educator Ray Laskowitz talks about pictures and their back stories.

To the Edge

I managed to walk. To the edge. Of the lawn. Where the fence is. The dogs were excited. Then, they were disappointed because that was it. To the edge and back. Very, very slowly. But, guess what? Almost no pain. And, my hamstrings stayed fairly flexible. That’s really the key to moving about. A little.

Thank you for all your concern. As I write this, I realize that the tension that has been living in my lower back is not there this morning. My back feels kind of peaceful. You know, the way you feel when you’ve been through an ordeal. That doesn’t mean I’m going back on the streets. Our streets are a mess. And, I don’t think the scrum that is the crowd does me much good. I’m not sure it does anybody any good.

One more thing. To those of you who only come to Storyteller via Facebook, thank you too. I grew up with a couple of you. Literally. Down the street. Across the street. You don’t know how much that means to me. If I haven’t said anything on Facebook, it’s not because I’m ignoring you. It’s because for now, I’m staying away from that social media. It’s one of those places where there is either too much of the so-called fake news, or posts are written without saying anything. Or, if something is said there is no follow-up. You know the ones. You ask for prayers and there is never any outcome. Like that.

I made this picture with my smart phone. I think the technology is limiting even though a couple of photographers who I know seem to be abandoning their dslr cameras in favor of Google Pixel smart phones. Apparently, there is a little exposure control and you can shoot RAW files. These guys are around my age. Guys who either own, or have owned galleries.

I’m telling you, smart phones are easy to use, but there is no substitute for an image produced with a big sensor and good lenses. The pixels are larger and that changes everything. That may not beat a really great scan made from film.

“May not” is the operative phrase. I always say that the film v digital images discussion is not about better or best. They are just different. But, there is a reason that so many working professional photographers are shooting film again or are modifying their digital work into something that is photographic-based but doesn’t look like a normal photo, or emulates a certain film look.

Anyway. I am starting to feel better. Maybe in my next life I won’t make the same mistakes that got me here. I’ll just make different ones. Heh!

I am a visual storyteller. I've been making pictures for some 40 years. I travel the world in search of the right image. in the right light at the right time.
You can reach me by phone at 505.280.4686, or by email at Ray@Laskowitzpicturess.com or Pictures34@me.com.
For a quick look at my work please go to www.laskowitzpictures.com.

Glad your feeling better! I keep going back to a Kodachrome emulation for color, or Agfa APX 100 for b&w. I wonder, is there such a thing as a digital enlarger? That would be an interesting half-step back into traditional photo printing. I could do some of my embellishment digitally, and some old school. btw, I’m quite fond of Japanese maples!

Hi. Thank you. I have no idea how close film emulations are to the real thing. I imagine you could get close with Kodachrome because of the original process.

I don’t think so.I’ve never heard of anything like that. Keith Carter, who fairly well known, uses a mix of wet printing and scanning to make his work. He might have been one of the earliest photographers to do that because he started doing that in the early 90s. I’m not sure how that is different from today’s post which was originally made on Tri-x, printed on some kind of Agfa paper stock (If I recall) , scanned and the fiddled with in digital post production.

For me, I just have to move in some other direction. For my business staying in one place is sort of okay. That’s why they hire me. But, for me…

"As writers and dreamers, we may never fit in (what they call) normality. Who cares? You and me, fulfilling old legends, we stay awake in each other’s dreams. We live for ever and a day in each other’s stories. We share memories of things that never happened. You and me. That’s the level of faith given upon our entwined souls!"